Not sure about on-line stamp places, but I'd check e-bay. Good luck with your search

That truly captures my enthusiasm just before the holidays!

Wow, what an opportune time for this thread to be resurrected! I never did get around to doing much with my kitchen and dining room after I started this thread. I have Chronic Lyme disease, so occasionally I have to rearrange my priorities to take care of myself. So basically, I am just beginning year 2 of the five year plan I started in mid-2004. I'd given up on the idea of metal ceiling because the price of metal skyrocketed waaaay out of my budget. But you all must have been reading my mind, because just a week or so ago, I started evaluating my dining room again since metals prices have dropped. My financial advisor (the left side of my brain) insists that I should stick with pasterboard, but my artist/decorator (the other side of my brain) just really likes the look that the tiles would lend to the house even if they are only in the one room. And forced the financial advisor to admit that I could probably tweek my budget to fit it in this small space. I was pretty impressed with what I saw at Classic Ceilings. My concern being shipping costs (I'm on the other coast). So will compare with some of the other sources and see how it works out. The place in Brooklyn sounds like a possibility-- hope they are still in business. Thanks for the suggestion, ironhands, but I can't bring myself to put vinyl anything in my house. I wouldn't be able to live with myself. The center part is post and beam, built in about 1870. The newest addition (there are a total of 8, this being Vermont) was put on in 1929.

Stamping or stenciling would be a great alternative to wallpaper -- cheaper, easier, and no peeling! I've been thinking about doing some stenciling in my house (when I get some other projects done). I hadn't really considered using stamps, although now that I think about it, my mother used stamps in a bathroom in a summer cottage we had when I was a kid. I think she made her own stamps, but I'm not sure out of what. It came out well, though, and gave it just the right rustic/primitive/cottage-y look. One advantage of stencils over stamps would be that you could do multi-colored designs. Also, I think there's a greater variety of ready-made stencils available, including some historical designs (colonial, Arts & Crafts, Shaker, etc.). Try looking on eBay for stamps and stencils. Just be sure that the scale of the design is right - it can be hard to tell from photos. Is this the article on wall stamping that you mentioned? Here is a link that might be useful: This Old House Wall Stamping Article